DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL 2022 – THE BIG REVIEW!

Photo credit: Ⓒ Beth Miller for Download Festival

WELL THEN. Three whole years since the last proper Download Festival. Yeah yeah there was the Pilot last year, but it’s not the same. This is it, this is the return. Was it triumphant? Let’s discuss.

Donington Park opens its doors for the hoardes of giddy metalheads on Thursday, with the newly situated campsites filling from West Carpark quickly. Let’s have a moment for the new site layout; the campsites are now located considerably closer to the arena (they used to be at the opposite end of the racetrack) and the arena is accessed by travelling through the brand new Village area which is now on hard-standing.

There are a few things to note about this arrangement though. If you’ve managed to park in West Carpark, you are indeed only a shortish walk to your camping. However, once this is full the East and North Carparks are utilized and they are predictably – on the other side of the racetrack, a journey of epic proportions to your campsite. I suppose the question is, would you rather walk further to the arena every day, or have to cart all your camping stuff further on the way in and on the way out?

It must also be noted that whilst quiet camping does still exist, they’ve chosen to back the brand new (and considerably larger) Doghouse stage onto it. With music going on until 3am, it seems sort of redundant but hey, hopefully you brought earplugs.

The Village itself is a thing of beauty. Despite this being a rare good weather Download rather than a washout, it really is just such a good move to have the entire place on a tarmac surface. Immediately as you enter the area there is an enormous pop-up Co-Op selling practically everything you might need for the weekend, including fairly priced crates of beer and the cheeky sandwich meal deal which costs about a third of the price of a soggy burrito from the arena. Even for non-campers this is a short walk from the arena to keep your costs down, and I think its really important to stress that this is a great way of ensuring that people aren’t entirely priced out of coming to this festival, when food and drink prices seem set to continue to rise exponentially.

As for entertainment, this year we have an entire arcade replete with coin machines and Dance Dance Revolution, as well as the traditional fairground rides such as minor-whiplash-dodgems and possibly-the-worst-ghost-train-in-the-world. The new Doghouse is the real MVP though, a huge square post-apocalyptic shipping container park with a stage and a bar. It’s worth noting that this whole move really improves accessibility for everyone. RIP and Disability Camping guests are no longer miles from the night-time action, and the tarmac makes getting there much easier, a huge step towards making Download a much more inclusive festival.

For morning people you can give yourself a boost by joining in with some Rockfit, frame trampolining or rock aerobics – flashback to Download’s at-home content during Lockdown in 2020. In the evenings there’s stand up comedy in The Sidesplitter, and then the infamous Doghouse clubnights returning with a bang. I must give a mention here to Thursday night’s Punk Rock Factory who honestly I’d love to see hitting up the main arena next year, a punk Disney cover band. There is just something joyous about seeing a group of big burly dudes belting out songs from Encanto, truly they absolutely slap, and seemed to have the full support of a packed Doghouse.

Aside from this we also have another attempt at implementing a cashless festival, thankfully without a return to the RFID fiasco of a previous Download, though it does seem most of the shops are still accepting cash regardless. We also have renamed stages for 2022 – Apex and Opus in place of various previous names such as Lemmy and Dio, but let’s face it, everyone calls them Main and Second anyway.

Friday

It’s Friday, the gates are open and the sun is shining. Not packing a raincoat feels absolutely reckless for this festival, but the weather app assures me that everything will be ok so sun-cream it is. As seasoned Download goers, we head straight for a merch tent because everyone knows they can and absolutely will sell out of stuff. As per usual nothing has changed and there are simply too few staff to appropriately manage the volume of people queuing, and we wait a solid hour and a half to get our stuff. I think I’ve said this in every review but really, just drop more staff on for the first day, I beg.

The merch options are outstanding though, apart from the regular tshirts and such, there is a plethora of weird shit you can buy and I am HERE FOR IT. Download Monopoly for campsite mornings? Got you covered. Cafetiere and laser engraved wooden cups? No problem. We also love the fully embroidered denim jacket, the extremely handy new tote bags, and of course the plushie deranged Download Dog. There’s also a whole section for babies/kids which is nice, considering there seem to be a lot more of them in attendance this year. Mini metalheads everywhere you look – this is the next gen, teach them well.

Luckily the queue for said merchandise is situated right alongside the hill-top Dogtooth Stage, where we manage to catch a sweaty but brilliant set from The Scratch. Acoustic Irish folk music overlayed with heavy metal and a dedication to getting the crowd involved, makes for a unique and undeniably fun experience. Yelling “…if you’re really confused about what we’re doing, that’s fine, we’re confused as well… but we can still have fun” the band really sum up how it is to watch their show. I would absolutely go and see them again.

Over to Kris Barras on the Opus stage for some melodic rock and roll in the sunshine, playing bluesy summery riffs to a huge crowd. It’s perfect beer-drinking, feel good summer music that makes you feel like you’re in an 80’s TV show driving the Sunset Strip.

Skynd’s unique ‘true crime’ industrial rock sound is testament to the expansion of genre Download have been working towards over the last few years, something a little unusual and interesting, with songs named after infamous death events. Skynd’s unusual vocal style ranging from effeminate cheerleader-esque chanting to deep rasping creep is really something different, and sets the tone for how many new and challenging female artists we’re about to see this weekend.

Bury Tomorrow pull off a convincing enough set, but hero vocalist Myles Kennedy over on the Opus stage is just beyond compare – I genuinely believe he’s one of the best rock voices of all time. Dead Poet Society on the Dogtooth stage play to a jammed tent, and even spend a little time after their set taking photos with fans.

Firmly established Download regulars Black Veil Brides are tearing up the Apex stage to a mass of sweaty face-paint melting goths and some early crowd-surfers, but it’s Skindred who take the crown for band of the day with their energetic and powerful set. Whilst it’s true that we see them pretty much every year at least once, they never seem to disappoint. Benji always has a fun outfit, this time a lightning bold studded red leather set with a plumed hat, and they roll through a mix of old and new making sure to hit the highs of ‘Pressure’ and ‘Nobody’, as well as joking around with extremely British singsongs of “if you’re happy and you know it clap your hands”. “2 years without any fucking music” as Benji puts it, is enough time for everyone to get really amped up for ‘Kill The Power’ in which they also voice support for Ukraine, and a right old rowdy Newport Helicopter of windmilling tshirts during ‘Warning’. Oh Skindred, we’ve missed you.

Photo credit: Ⓒ James Bridle for Download Festival

Over on the Opus stage, the Aussies are at it again. Reckless wonders Airborne, who were once lambasted by security for climbing the stage rigging at Download sans harness – for shits and gigs, yell out “…if we’re still here, and you’re still here, metal still exists…”. Which when you consider their death-wish antics, is perhaps not the most solid flex.

A Day To Remember blast punky metal across the main stage area as the sun shines, before Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes take on the Opus stage with their classic punk rock sounds and social commentary. Frank, ever the cheeky chap shouts out “Moment of silence for all the bands that we just murdered” before clambering out onto the shoulders of fans to continue singing.

In a bold but timely statement Frank says “This is a ladies and non-binary only moshpit for this song. Fellas on the sidelines, protect this space. This is a safe space for those people to have a good time without getting groped or punched. For too long rock and roll has been unequal. I’m sorry I didn’t have the mindset to do this sooner, in 10 years time I promise you this will be a very different space for our children”. Whilst this may be somewhat performatory in practice (it’s one song in a weekend of bands), it does send a message that people are listening and beginning to take notice of what female and NB metal fans have been saying for years. Though generally pit-etiquette is known to be good at Download, it’s really refreshing to see how the festival is evolving into a more inclusive space for everyone to enjoy the music.

Frank also takes a jab with “This song is about Rishi [Sunak] telling me to get a fucking job. I’ve got two you bastard, how many am I supposed to have?” as massive ticker-tape explosions flutter over the crowd. It’s been an interesting set, and I’m all for artists using their platform to highlight important issues – it’s punk’s legacy.

After hitting up the legendary Bunnymans Bunnychow for dinner (South African firey chilli shoved into half a loaf of bread, the stuff of festival dreams) the Apex hill is filling up in anticipation of tonight’s headliner KISS.

The stage is draped with an enormous KISS banner, the sides flanked with KISS ARMY insignias, and the roof a hive of ring shaped lighting like something from sci-fi. Giant inflatable metallic effigies of the band members stand either side of the stage, blowing in the wind threatening to squash the puny worshippers below. As a tape begins to roll on the screens, of the band making their way through dressing rooms and corridors to get to the stage, I can’t help but giggle. We’re in a field, miles from anything solid, with only tents and tour buses back there. It’s all part of the KISS schtick though isn’t it.

“You wanted the best, you got the best!” yells Paul Stanley, aka The Starchild as a rain of sparkly pyro falls from the centre of the stage and the banner is dropped. As usual, they are dressed to the nines in, well, quite possibly bigger than nine-inch platform shoes and their signature shiny glam get-up – and there’s a part of me watching this, that is just a bit sad that nothing comes after this. We won’t witness this level of ridiculousness again, it’s an ending era. KISS are known for keeping it strictly performance. They have a script and they rarely step outside of it, which is professional I guess, if a little wooden sometimes. “This song is about putting something in your mouth…” comes before they drop into ‘Lick It Up’ but it’s the same sentence we heard last time we saw them here. I’m not sure whether I enjoy this from a nostalgia perspective – like re-watching your favourite movie when you feel down – or if I wish they’d break character just once, for this one final time.

‘Calling Dr Love’ is followed by ‘Tears Are Falling’ and then the more recent ‘Psycho Circus’ pulls up to a long drum solo from The Cat, who is raised up onto a giant platform. Presumably giving the other band members a much needed breather. I don’t hate it, it isn’t obscenely long… but the following instrumental really is. The solo is another thing from an older time, new bands don’t do it, or it’s a few seconds while someone grabs a drink. Another nail in the coffin of what it meant to be a headliner.

Luckily the band put on a great show regardless, Gene Simmons bleeding from the mouth whilst flapping his monumentally long tongue is an image burned into the rock retina for life. Jamming his iconic axe shaped bass whilst high up on a platform amongst the mysterons covered in images of his own face… you can’t get more Gene than that really.

“It’s the last time we’re gonna be together… and because it’s the last time, I’m gonna come out there and be with you. But you have to invite me… count to three and say my name…” calls Stanley, despite the fact that this is precisely the same way it went down the last time they played here, which obviously many of the fans remember all to well. Regardless, it is really fun to see him whizz from the stage to the sound tent on a circus ring zip wire to play ‘Love Gun’, and the epic ‘I Was Made For Lovin’ You’, amongst the sparkly light of a giant projected disco ball.

Closing out with three song encore, the end finally comes with ‘Rock and Roll All Nite’. Big inflatable KISS branded beach balls are thrown into the crowd, ticker tape explosions go off, and fireworks erupt from the top of the stage as they lament “We’re gonna miss you so much, we bow to you. It’s so special every time we come here”. Now, plenty of bands have said it’s their ‘final show’ before (cough, Aerosmith, cough Black Sabbath). KISS have been one of them… over 19 times according to Steve Tyler. This time though, it really does seem like they’re done. Some of the vibrancy was missing, it was too rehearsed.

It’s testimony to their skill as musicians and performers that the show was still great, and I will be forever sad that my child won’t get to remember seeing one of, if not the most iconic bands in the world, but maybe it is time to open the gates for new things. KISS have done thousands of gigs, sold millions of records and have the weirdest and most diverse collection of merch on this earth (KISS condoms anyone?) so… fair play to them. I’m glad I was here for the last show… probably.


SATURDAY

Opening the Apex stage this morning are The Raven Age, good hearty metal despite the thin arena at this time, but Cassyette edges them out as the Opus stage opener with an absolutely huge crowd. Swinging her long blonde Pippi Longstocking braids as she thrashes around the stage, you can see exactly why she’s been booked – what a bloody epic voice. Again, it’s awesome to see more women hitting the big stages at Download this year, and absolutely smashing it. Those Damn Crows keep the vibe going, but there’s definitely an element of crowd fatigue in this heat – us pasty Brits are just crap at sunshine.

Sheffield lads Malevolent come in with their full force, pulling out all the stops in their exceptionally heavy set. “This goes out to anyone who has ever told you, you can’t do something because of how you look or who you are” says frontman Alex Taylor, before they muster up three massive circle-pits in the crowd.

Ice Nine Kills may have a bit of a gimmicky schtick when it comes to band theme, rocking up in suits to mimic American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman, these guys are a self-professed Horror Metal band. However, there is nothing gimmicky about their musical talent, these guys absolutely kill it – if you can excuse the pun. Yeah sure they have some Alice Cooper-esque snuff theatre going on, stage knives and a creepy clown… but I defy anyone to try not to join in with the likes of ‘Hip To Be Scared’ and ‘The American Nightmare’. They’ve gone straight to the top of my post-Download playlist.

Photo credit: Ⓒ  Sam McMahon for Download Festival

Black Label Society, owners of very lush hair, gather a huge crowd at the Apex stage. With Zakk Wylde’s signature sound resonating across the arena, this just feels like peak Download. There are so many memories tied to that sound at this event. Later Shinedown absolutely tear it up, yelling “Ladies and Gentlemen, we made it, we are here and we’re all alive” and treating us to the hits we want to hear ‘Second Chance’ and ‘Cut The Cord’. The “Freedom” refrain really has some topical context for this crowd, after a couple of years of strict lockdowns and Covid worries.

Deftones are predictably great but we’ve been round the block a few times and I’m really only in it for ‘My Own Summer’ at this point, so it’s time to take a walk around the site and grab some food. One thing I really want to mention is that the quality of stuff you can buy from Download shops is actually really exciting. You can grab your next pair of skate trainers for a fraction of the cost of online stores, get hold of some unusual patches for your battle jacket, and there’s the likes of Mysticum Luna selling some  beautiful jewellery. If that’s not your jam, you can queue up in the morning to book yourself a tattoo slot at Old Sarum – I wonder how many people now have a Download Dog tattoo?

On the Opus stage Megadeth have the most ridiculous set of mega-stacked amps (there is no way at least half of those aren’t just for show, come on now) and Funeral For A Friend are bringing back those nostalgic emo kid vibes on The Avalanche stage. Sepultura play to a bursting at the seams Dogtooth tent, it’s hot, it’s heavy, it’s everything it should be – I just wish I could get further into the tent than the gate.

Looking at the arena tonight, it’s pretty clear there are a lot of day-ticket holders here specifically for this. It’s twice as packed as last night, people shoulder to shoulder right to the back of the hill and spilling out both sides around the sound tent. To say Iron Maiden are an institution at Donington would be putting it mildly. We’ve been waiting three years for this, let’s go.

As the traditional UFO ‘Doctor Doctor’ heralds them onto the stage, we take our first look at the set up for this ‘Legacy of The Beast’ tour, which centres on Japanese/Shinobi imagery due to their newest released ‘Senjutsu’. The stage is all green-roofed pagodas, Nikko’s brand new drum set is covered in the beautiful album artwork, and as the band take the stage we note that Bruce has gone full top-knot presumably in a nod to the theme. Rocking some almost spray-on leather pants (he does it better than Ross Geller though) Bruce is immediately and unwaveringly as brilliant as ever. If you think there’s a more iconic vocalist in metal I can’t hear you over the sound of Bruce belting the living shit out of ‘The Writing On The Wall’. You’d think after 34 years playing here, and the 7th inning as headliners, that something would eventually dip… the speed, the sound quality, the theatricality, the energy. No. Not our Iron Maiden. They are the lifeblood of this festival and all those before it on this hallowed ground, and they truly sound better than ever.

Eddie makes a surprisingly early appearance dressed as a Samurai, in order to go about executing the band members with a giant katana, and Bruce quips “You alright? That was bit fucking casual… you alright?” as the crowd warms up a bit from their viewing stupor. If you haven’t seen Maiden before, it’s a lot to take in. If you have, it’s a lot to take in.

Multiple set changes are expected with Maiden for sure, but wow is it slick tonight. Using curtain structures to create background sets means they basically drop away in seconds to be replaced by another – something that really just adds to the magic of their show. This next one is a full on church, replete with stained glass windows and flaming chandeliers.

Calling out “The last three years of all our lives, has been largely fucking shit. In this field is where it fucking stops. We’re one big family, the Maiden family. We don’t care what colour, size or anything you are… you are our Blood Brothers” they drop headfirst into the anthem. Not to get too corny, but there is something so uplifting, so uniting about hearing this after the hard couple of years we’ve just been through.

Now, Bruce has always been known to be a bit… extra. But tonight he really doubles down, in a floaty veiled cape, he capers about the stage brandishing a giant disco cross for ‘The Sign of The Cross’ and then in a bonkers turn of events, trying to brandish a Ghostbusters style dual flamethrower, AND his mic beneath an enormous winged angel for ‘Flight of Icarus’.

Fear of The Dark has always been my favourite, since I saw Maiden for the very first time at the very first Download festival in 2003. My friend lifted me up from our spot 10 or so rows from the front, so that I could look across the crowd at the sea of lights. At that time it was proper lighters, not blue phone screens, and it is one of my most magical memories. Tonight, I was watching from the side, much further back, with my 2 year old daughter – doing a small cry, thinking about how grateful I am to be back here, after everything, and it was perfect.

‘Hallowed Be They Name’, ‘The Number of The Beast’ and the eponymous ‘Iron Maiden’ are just beyond reproach, it’s ridiculous how Iron Maiden manage to gut punch us every time, they just get into your bones. There’s a giant inflatable beast Eddie… everyone is singing, everyone is headbanging, everyone thinks they’re in the band too… “Scream for me Donington!” elicits the monumental roar of thousands of metal fans in their element.

The stage lights dip, but no-one moves an inch. The encore is spectacular, with Bruce admitting “Wish I was down there with you, it’s fucking cold up here” into the amazingly clear moonlight night, before donning the signature Redcoat and flag for ‘The Trooper’, and the return of Eddie for a duel.

‘The Clansman’ (another chance to yell FREEDOM into the sky) and ‘Run To The Hills’ are magnificent, but there’s nothing quite like the closing gem ‘Aces High’ complete with a fucking massive Spitfire flying, in my opinion, terrifyingly close to their heads, on stage. Bruce gives it his full force, rocking a flying cap and goggles as the band wheel around the stage delivering the most powerful, energetic performance you can imagine. They are just such pros, I genuinely don’t know what we’ll do when they finally call time. With their outro of Monty Python’s ‘Always Look on the bright side of life’, there is a collective sigh and we all begin to leave the arena. The hour plus queue to leave the car-park tells you that everyone stayed for this, what a bloody amazing night.

SUNDAY

Kicking things off for today at the Apex stage are homegrown electro-rock duo Wargasm, who sponsor a pretty brutal circle pit for so early in the morning. Two guys dressed as bananas are gleefully smashing into each other, as Milkie Way kicks and screams her way through the excellently named ‘D.R.I.L.D.O’ and ‘Backyard Bastards’. A live debut of ‘Fukstar’ and an N*E*R*D cover of ‘Lapdance’ also go down well with the crowd.

Photo credit: Ⓒ Sam McMahon for Download Festival

On the Dogtooth stage, drag artist Bimini serves us a fucking stunning outfit and an equally fun mash up of The Prodigy’s ‘Breathe’ and Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’ gone metal. It’s very very weird, and I like it. “This is my first festival… You know what, we’re a queer fucking band, and we’re gonna fuck it up” they say, with new music being debuted ‘Don’t Fuck With My Groove’ which is undeniably outside of what we are used to hearing at Download. A cover of Peaches sends us over the edge, I want to see Bimini bring a bigger, more extravagant show next time. Spotted in the Bimini crowd: Zoe London, having an excellent time!

We’ve decided to sit down and have some lunch at the main stage, which means catching Alestorm today. Somewhat unwillingly. If you haven’t heard about their recent controversy over leaked group chat messages which highlight some pretty stark racism and misogyny – just take it from us, it was not ok. These messages were authenticated/claimed by lead singer Chris Bowes at the time, and apologized for, but when you’ve been talking about competitions to see who can sleep with the most barely legal fans on tour… it’s gonna fuck up your reputation as a fairly wholesome fun band.

It’s actually a bit of a surprise that they were still booked for Download following this. There’s a bit of a disconnect between what looks like the purposeful move to give more female artists stage time, and having Alestorm back on the bill. Between bands Download has opted for screen messages about consent and respect all weekend, a purposeful effort towards changing the culture of festivals and making them safe for everyone – which I fully endorse and applaud. So yeah… it’s strange.

They’re on stage anyway, giant inflatable duck in tow, yelling “We’re only here to have fun” and while there is a decent crowd, it’s markedly less than I would expect them to pull at this festival. They play their hits (indistinguishably all about drinking, it’s the schtick) ‘Mexico’ and ‘Fucked With An Anchor’ to a sea of crowd surfers, but there’s definitely a flatness to the performance compared to other times we’ve seen them. Around us a lot of people are looking unimpressed, and it’s probably not just to do with the show.

Conversely, The Hara absolutely rip it up on the Avalanche stage, with their really interesting tech fuelled set. As a three-piece alt rock outfit, I did not expect their sound to be so complex, but with all the extra electronic fills, it is a serious sucker punch. I totally expect to see more of them at Download in the future.

Rise against are coming back with a new album, but the familiar punk-rock feels we love, “…this is a song about what we’ve all been doing the last two years… it’s called Survive” and closing ‘Saviour’ in the sunshine is just bringing us all happiness as we sing along.

Over on the Opus stage, Baroness as expected put on a fantastic show, and on the Apex stage Volbeat give us what we want with ‘Lola Montez’ and ‘Still Counting’ as well as their cutesy ‘I Only Want To Be With You’ Dusty Springfield cover.

Up next Korn give a blistering performance worthy of a headline slot, Jonathan Davis careening about the stage in leather pants is giving us the big 90’s nostalgia. There are bagpipes, there’s a snippet of ‘We Will Rock You’ in ‘Coming Undone’, they serve up ‘Falling Away From Me’ and ‘Freak On A Leash’ at an eardrum bursting level. It’s such an energetic performance, mirrored in the sheer number of crowdsurfers who are heading towards the front, and it seems like the whole crowd is into it.

Photo credit: Ⓒ David Dillon for Download Festival

Steel Panther are divisive. They started off as a joke band… but they have some catchy hits… they’re clearly joking… but the type of jokes they make are tired and largely misogynistic…

Yelling “That crowd reaction was pretty good for a Hoobastank concert” garners a laugh from only those old enough to know who Hoobastank are, but the zebra leggings and 80’s hair never fails to make me smile. “England is my second home. I speak the language. My Grandma is from here in Leicester, she used to cook for the whole family… crystal meth” is exactly what we expect from them, as well as their penchant for pulling ladies from the audience to dance with them. They do in fact have 17 girls for ’17 Girls In A Row’, and they are joined by guest Justin Hawkins of The Darkness – who just played the other stage – for ‘Party All Day’. ‘Asian Hooker’ and ‘Death To All But Metal’ are meant to be silly, but that’s part of the charm – it’s possibly the most packed this stage has been all weekend.

So, right up front I have to note going into this headline review, that the arena is stunningly under-filled already. You can basically walk to the front in a couple of minutes from either side. This shouldn’t happen for headliners.

Scot-rock stalwarts Biffy Clyro are no strangers to Download Festival, having headlined here in 2017. Given the fact that we’ve been in Covid central for a couple of years, this actually feels more recent than the five years it has actually been. There’s no doubt that the band are musically brilliant, and the stage set up is impressive in its own way, but perhaps overshadowed by the previous two nights of high production headline sets.

The hometown crowd is representing at the front with giant Scottish flags flying, and ‘Wolves of Winter’ is a soaring masterpiece which absolutely deserves a place here. Yelling “We’ve waited three years for this, I know you have too. It’s wonderful to be back together again” frontman Simon Neil is clearly having an excellent time up there, but I can’t help but see the crowd is thinning even further. I wonder if they can see this from up there, and feel a little sad for them.

‘Space’ and ‘Bubbles’ come before an encore of ‘The Captain’, ‘Cop Syrup’ and ‘Many of Horror’ – all of which are performed beautifully and confidently, but it obviously isn’t hitting with a huge proportion of the Download crowd who are opting to be elsewhere. The band finish up with a set of stage top fireworks, but it’s not the crowning finale it should have been for this, the triumphant return of Download festival. If Download wants to sell enough tickets next year, those headliners had better be closer aligned to the main formula than Biffy were this weekend.

In other entertainments, The Doghouse is bumping for another few hours yet with the likes of Lais MW & Lauren Cornelius serving up fun bouncy mixes and Limp Bizkit dance renditions. Here we’ll leave everyone to the wild abandon of the final night at camp.

Round-up

So what did we think of Download festival 2022?

Firstly, we were served an unusual dose of good fortune with the weather being dry. This festival is no joke when it’s wet, so it was nice to not have to think about boots and raincoats this year. The new site changes are a huge step in the right direction to making this festival more inclusive and accessible, as well as just generally better for everyone. It would be great to see some companies like Vodafone with their Haptic suits there, to deliver unique experiences of the music to deaf fans in the Download audience in the future.

There were a lot more kids this time around – a lot of lockdown babies and toddlers in attendance, which yes, changes the vibe a little sure, but ultimately this music is for everyone – and that includes parents without childcare options. There’s nothing like indoctrinating the youth into metal anyway.

In the news following the festival it has sadly been reported that two men have died (in unconnected incidents) and police are appealing to contact a man who had helped one of them. Contact details can be found on the BBC website if you have any information. The deaths are not being considered suspicious at this time, our thoughts go out to them and their families.

Next year is the huge 20th anniversary of Download and Andy Copping has stated that all headliners have been booked already – an unusual feat. The anticipation and anxiety over who it will be is already gut wrenching. With a lot of the big legacy bands shutting up shop, I simply can’t imagine how this will play out, but for myself – I’m hoping for a Rammstein return, and the yet-to-play rock legends Pearl Jam.

I’d also like to mention that every staff and security member we came across this weekend was friendly, helpful and genuinely nice. It really makes a difference to how smoothly the weekend runs. On top of that, the general effort into turning Download into a more green space, and a more diverse space is really good to see. It’s time for the rock and metal scene to evolve into something more inclusive – and I don’t think Download loses any of its integrity as one of the worlds’ best rock festivals by doing so.

In summation, this weekend has been characterised by a return to familiarity, pure joy and a feeling of freedom. There has been something intensely healing about being back at Donington, for a lot of people I spoke to over the weekend. It has indeed been three years of shit, but thanks in part to Download Festival – I feel like I’m on the road to recovery. Roll on the big anniversary in 2023, see you there!

More acts added for DOWNLOAD 2020!

Download Festival, the world’s premier rock event, has announced further acts including ALTER BRIDGE, BOWLING FOR SOUP, FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES, MASTODON, THE DISTILLERS, SEPULTURA, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE and FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND, to join headliners IRON MAIDEN (Legacy of the Beast Tour)KISS and SYSTEM OF A DOWN this summer. NXT UK is returning to deliver more knockout entertainment over the weekend, and Kerrang! Radio will host FINDING FRESH BLOOD for another year – searching for the best emerging acts in the world of rock to perform on The Avalanche Stage.

Download takes place on 12 – 14 June 2020 at the spiritual home of rock in Donington Park, Leicestershire. Tickets are on sale now at downloadfestival.co.uk/tickets.

The Main Stage just got even better with a host of new names which are sure to stir the crowd into a frenzy. US heavyweights ALTER BRIDGE will return to Download with their breed of blistering and technical rock completed with incredible showmanship courtesy of Miles Kennedy.

Mark Tremonti from Alter Bridge said:
“We are very proud and honoured to be a part of the 2020 lineup.  Download has always been the highlight of our touring schedule over the years, thanks for another opportunity to perform for some of the best rock fans in the world!”

The brilliantly chaotic FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES will wreak havoc at Download, with pit-starter anthems such as ‘Juggernaut’, ‘Crowbar’ and ‘I Hate You’. MOTIONLESS IN WHITE are staggeringly heavy, with a good dosage of theatrics that will no doubt fuel a memorable performance. Also performing rare Australia’s ferocious THY ART IS MURDER, rising Florida metalcorers WAGE WAR, and melodic Brit metallers THE RAVEN AGE.

Chris Motionless from Motionless In White said:
“Playing Download is an accomplishment that bands of every level still write home about. It is THE festival to be a part of, and I’m so proud to announce that we will be making an appearance again for the first one of the new decade. See you in a few months!”

Looking towards The Zippo Stage, Atlanta’s finest MASTODON have garnered a reputation as a formidable live force, and their performance at 2020 is sure to be enormous. Fronted by the infamous Brody Dalle, THE DISTILLERS are a household name in modern punk and make their anticipated return to Donington. THE DARKNESS are also set to bring a healthy dose of classic rock and roll bombast., Italian goth icons LACUNA COIL, melodic rockers AMARANTHE, bondage-punks HATARI and rock n roll revivalists THE GLORIOUS SONS. They’ll be joined by Mississippi rock stalwarts 3 DOORS DOWN.

Justin Hawkins of The Darkness said:
 “UK festival appearances are like children – so precious and impossible to pick a favourite. This year though, my number 1 child is our Download slot! I have a pair of pyjama bottoms designed to look like jeans with tickets for Monsters of Rock 1991 hanging out of the pocket, and that tells you everything you need to know about my excitement levels.”

Following their disbanding in 2016, Download are beyond excited to reveal that Welsh post-hardcore and crowd favourite FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND will make their euphoric return to the festival by headlining The Avalanche Stage. Joining them are Texan troopers BOWLING FOR SOUP who are sure-fire to get Donington singing along to their tongue-in-cheek pop punk anthems.

Ryan Richards from Funeral For A Friend said “As a band, and as individuals – we’ve made some incredible memories at the hallowed grounds of Donington through the years, so it’s going to be nice to come back and make a few more together. Those trademark black fringes are a bit greyer/balder these days, but we’ll still be able to show these young ‘uns a thing or two!”

Jaret Reddick from Bowling For Soup said:
“Download Festival is always something special for Bowling For Soup. So many of the stories we share with other bands and family members back home come from our time spent playing or hanging out at this festival. Very much looking forward to making more memories this summer…and of course bringing something special to our show, that only BFS can get away with!”

Elsewhere on the Avalanche Stage are Philadelphia’s THE MENZINGERS who will draw a monstrous crowd with their honest melodic punk, Woking’s brutal EMPLOYED TO SERVE, anonymous collective SLEEP TOKEN, garage punk outfit PRESS CLUB, Welsh post-hardcore band HOLDING ABSENCE, Liverpool prog-metallers LOATHE, mysterious emo rapper SULLII, London ska-punks THE SKINTS, alt-pop-rock Mancs THE HARA, Northern Californian pop-rockers CEMETERY SUN, and Brighton indie punks GENDER ROLES. They’ll be joined by punk trio MILK TEETH.

Headlining The Dog Tooth Stage are genre defining heavy music titans SEPULTURA who are set to be a crowd pleaser with huge songs such as Roots Bloody Root and Refuse / Resist.

Derrick Green from Sepultura said;
“We are ecstatic about our return to Download Festival. It’s an honour and pleasure to be a part of a festival with such a rich music history. We look forward to rocking out with you all!!”

Also on The Dog Tooth stage are Sydney metalcore innovators NORTHLANE, alongside bruising Leeds hardcore collective HIGHER POWER. If that wasn’t enough, further Dogtooth Stage additions are London progressive rock band HAKEN, virtuosic Texan quartet POLYPHIA, Sacramento noise metallers WILL HAVEN, the hotly tipped KILL THE LIGHTS (featuring members from Bullet For My ValentineStill RemainsThrow The FightGlamour Of The Kill and Threat Signal), self-proclaimed ‘Satanic doo wop’ trio TWIN TEMPLE, Texan hardcore outfit FIRE FROM THE GODS, Bristol post-punks HEAVY LUNGS, NYC rockers TEMPT, Peterborough melodic hardcore act MODERN ERROR, brutal Holy Roar signees London five-piece RENOUNCED, mesmerising alt rock artist JJ WILDE, and Brummie metalcore pack SHVPES.

Download Festival are pleased to announce the return of WWE NXT UK to this year’s festival. The first round of Superstars to be announced are title-holders WWE NXT UK Champion WALTER, NXT UK Women’s Champion Kay Lee Ray, and NXT UK Tag Team Champions Gallus. The first-ever WWE United Kingdom Champion Tyler Bate, and his Tag Team partner Trent Seven, will no doubt bring a stunner of a show. Also set to perform is Finn Bálor’s protégé Jordan Devlin, the highflyer Mark Andrews, and his Tag Team partner Flash Morgan Webster. Toni Storm is also confirmed, alongside powerhouse Piper Niven – both of whom will bring the energy to Donington Park. NXT UK has made a massive impact at Download in previous years, full of tense moments and adrenaline-soaked performances, it’s the ultimate spectacle for fans of loud music and even louder sport.

In addition, Kerrang! Radio will once more host Finding Fresh Blood, the search to bring the hottest emerging talent to Donington. 2019 was its inaugural year and grime-punks PENGSHUi triumphantly opened the Avalanche Stage. UK acts can now upload their tracks online to be in with the chance of playing this year’s festival on the same stage. To apply, and for more information please visit their website. The chance to apply closes on 1st March at 23:59, and winners will be announced in April.

Kerrang! Radio’s Alex Baker said:
“Playing at The Download Festival is a benchmark moment in any bands career, it is the most important festival in the country for alternative music and a performance on any of the hallowed stages can catapult your career as a musician to new heights. I only like working with people who share my unyielding spirit for supporting new artists, and the absolute dedication that Andy and the team from Download have in this field is truly inspiring. When Pengshui walked out on the Avalanche Stage last year, the atmosphere on the stage, in the crowd AND in the wings was absolutely electric – it is a moment that will never be forgotten.”

Download Festival is the home of rock music and takes place on the sacred grounds of Donington Park, which have been associated with rock since the eighties. The festival attracts icons of rock and metal to its main stage, plus some of the best and hottest new acts in the world.

Butserfest 2015 Review

Nearing its tenth year, Butserfest hit a new level last weekend. With acts ranging from the harmonious Lounge Kittens, to metal core Vanity Draws Blood, the biggest alcohol and drug free festival in the UK had something for everybody to enjoy.

The arrival to the festival began with a Wars and Vanity Draws Blood both drawing in the crowds as the momentum grew for the main stage to begin. With a little bit of rain from the beginning, it eventually grew brighter and brighter, bringing out the smiles and the friendly atmosphere. Being my first time at Butserfest I was constantly overhearing about previous years and how excited everyone was to be back!

Photo by Jade Hill

Once the acts started playing, the crowd’s energy grew stronger through every song. What I could gather from the festival was that size does not matter! With only two big stages, Main Stage and Crossroads Stage, the only other places to find music were the Introducing Stage and the Acoustic Shack located backstage for lucky festival goers.

As the day carried on the we saw sets from SHVPES who had previously played NASS and Y NOT Festival, with their crowds growing bigger for every festival. Since their show last week supporting Bring Me The Horizon in Kingston, these guys are growing at a rapid rate getting better with every performance. Other acts which have been growing increasingly popular were main stage acts The One Hundred and The Xcerts, two acts which drew in an excessively large crowd.

Photo by Jade Hill

Being a day festival, it meant that there was no time to waste, there was alwasy an act to see. With a few acts who I bumped into in conversation, I could tell how much they were enjoying and how much they would have loved it to have been a weekend event! I for one would also have enjoyed another two days in the beautiful location of Queen Elizabeth Country Park in Petersfield.

As the sun started to set, the music got louder and the crowds got more energetic. With excellent performances from Zoax, who's style and energy definitely took the unaware crowd by surprise. There were hats thown off heads, breaking of comfort zones and continuous laughter throughout the entire set – Zoax definitely knew how to draw a crowd in.

Photo by Jade Hill

With the sad news released a few days after Butserfest that Funeral For A Friend are finishing as a band, I was so glad I got to the chance to watch and photograph them on the day! Playing a mixture of old and new there was something for new fans and older fans.

Photo by Jade Hill

And then it came to the end of the night when the two headliners took to the stage! WIth HECK* (previously Baby Godzilla) taking to the Crossroads stage and Don Broco on Main stage, the night was definitely worth waiting for. Announced for Wapred Tour UK later this year, Heck have been taking festivals by storm this year, and Butserfest was no exception. Photographers like myself were not even allowed in the pit due to health and safety (even though the act would spend the majority of their time in the crowd anyway) and the act did not dissapoint! They were climbing the roof of the tent, running into the crowd, diving to the floor and throwing instruments in the air. If you missed it, you definitely missed out!

Finally it came to 9pm and Don Broco were about to start. With their recent release of thier new album 'Automatic' and their phenomenal set at Reading and Leeds Festival, these guys have taken this Summer by storm, and Butserfest was no exception. The crowd were kept on their feet, their energy had exploded as they opened their headline set. They played a mixture of older music from the album 'Priorities' as well as their most popular songs from the new album. Overall my experience at Butserfest was very enjoyable! Would highly recommend it for anyone! Looking forward to next year already!

DO YOU WANT TO BE A BUTSERFEST CHAMPION?

WANT TO GO TO BUTSERFEST FOR FREE?

Butserfest have given you the chance to grab yourself a free ticket to this year's Butserfest!

They're looking for Butserfest Champions to promote Butserfest to their friends. Sell at least 1 ticket to a friend and get yours for FREE.

There is NO CATCH! They're even offering a backstage acoustic wristband to the champion who sells the most tickets!

Check out their website here to see more information and to find the link to apply to become a Butserfest Champion!

http://www.butserfest.co.uk/2015/08/introducing-butserfest-champion/

Also check out their facebook and twitter:

facebook.com/butserfest

@Butserfest

 

 

BUTSERFEST BACKSTAGE ACOUSTIC SETS

BUTSERFEST BACKSTAGE ACOUSTIC SETS

Since 2011 the backstage acoustic sets have been an exciting added bonus to the already popular Festival. This year Butserfest are giving you and a friend the chance to win a special wristband that’ll gain you access into our Acoustic Shack.

Simply visit their Facebook page to enter for a chance to win! (Please note that access to acoustic sets does not include event tickets)

https://www.facebook.com/Butserfest

The first backstage acoustic act announced was Brighton pop punkers, Boston Manor who will be performing a 3 song acoustic set for a small group of lucky competition winners.

Photo by Leigh-Ann Kilner

 

Other acts which have also been announced are Dirt, Create to Inspire and Our Hollow Our Home! With six acts in total confirmed to play the Acoustic Shack, the last two are being kept a secret. With a little inside knowledge, we can guarantee that you will not be disappointed!

If you would like to know a little bit more about the acoustic sets, check out last years video of Joe from EMPIRE doing a cover of Prince’s ‘Kiss’

 

To check out more of the latest news from Butserfest check out their website:

http://www.butserfest.co.uk/

Twitter: @Butserfest

Facebook: www.facebook.com/butserfest

HECK! TO JOIN BUTSERFEST 2015

SECOND WAVE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR BUTSERFEST 2015

East Hampshire District Council are delighted to announce the final bands to complete the line up for this year's Butserfest, the UK's biggest alcohol free youth live music festival.

Joining an already explosive lineup are South Wales' post hardcore GIANTS Funeral for a Friend, who make their return to our hallowed field, Nottingham scoundrels HECK* (formerly known as Baby Godzilla) – who will headline our alternative road stage sponsored by Crossroads, and who make a very welcome return having aptly lain waste to the same stage in 2014, those loveable ladies The Lounge Kittens, who will be entertaining our crowds on the main stage between our later acts, the delightfully ferocious SHVPES, Southampton boys Our Hollow, Our Home, also making their return to our event having smashed our second stage last year, pop punkers Boston Manor, who recently toured the UK with As It Is, and Londoners Vanity Draws Blood.

Complete lineup:

Don Broco, Funeral for a Friend, Hacktivist, HECK*, The Xcerts, The Qemists, The Lounge Kittens, Fathoms, The One Hundred, Carcer City, Zoax, Our Hollow Our Home, Lock & Key, Create to Inspire, Shields, SHVPES, Prolong the Agony, Dirt, Boston Manor, Networks, Lost Atlanta, Cardinal Bay, Vanity Draws Blood, Wars and Waking Angel.

INTRODUCING STAGE (in no particular running order):

Deference, Elements, Daniel Eagle, Flashfires, Zenthetix, Jack Howson, Forever in Depths, Eight 28, Just Millie, These Septic Stars, Forgotten Shores, Ella Davidson, Breathe in the Silence.

Tickets are on sale now priced at just £24.90 (and no booking fee)  from www.butserfest.co.uk/tickets

Every ticket bought in July & August will be entered into a draw to win VIP packages. More info on website

Dr Martens #STANDFORSOMETHING Tour details

Since their inception in 2001, Welsh post-hardcore act Funeral For A Friend have consistently pushed the boundaries of their genre and carved a place for themselves as one of the UK’s most electrifying rock bands. With their upcoming new album ‘Chapter and Verse’ on the horizon, the electrifying quintet stopped off at Edinburgh’s esteemed small venue Cabaret Voltaire as part of the Dr Martens #STANDFORSOMETHING Tour to perform an incendiary set for their hardcore fan base. From their incredible performance last weekend, here they are revisiting their classic single ‘Roses For The Dead’ from their critically acclaimed album ‘Hours’.

What do Funeral For A Friend stand for? "The idea that music can break down walls that segregate us in everyday life and can make you feel a part of something larger than yourself, that's something to stand for. A real sense of community and belonging." – Matthew Davies-Kreye.

NASS 2014 Day by Day lineup details

It’s 3 months to go until NASS, the biggest action sports and music festival in the UK, lands in Shepton Mallet. With some of the leading names and hottest upcoming talent in the music and action sports industry already confirmed, the 2014 is shaping up to be the biggest in the history of NASS.

With so many hip hop, drum & bass, dubstep, rock and alternative heavyweights in the line up it could take some serious planning to catch every act you want to see. Luckily for you, NASS has just released a day-by-day breakdown of the line up so far…

Friday: Netsky Live and ‘The Executioner’ Andy C, plus Friction & Friends ft P MoneyCrissy CrissLinguistics and special guestLet’s Be Friends and Monki.

Saturday: Cypress HillMistaJamFuneral for a FriendThe BronxKrept & KonanTCFred V & Graffix & MC FelonBlack Sun Empire & Codebreaker MCNicky BlackmarketRockwellTrash Talk and Sonic Boom Six.

Sunday: NoisiaWilkinsonReel Big FishGallowsHannah WantsDJ EZRoskaDismantle,Cerebral BallzyRandom HandBlitz KidsDecade and Verses,

 

Takedown Twenty 14 Review

I arrived at the site at just gone 12:30, people were queuing all the way up the courtyard of the venue waiting to get there wrist bands. 

Exploring the venue I found myself watching a band called The Smoking Hearts at the Southampton Intro Stage. The Smoking Hearts, A 5 piece rock and roll band from London UK. During there set they interacted with the crowd threw each song asking if everyone was enjoying their day so far. Their performance was all round very tight, sound and vocals where clear and sounded great, they also were really getting into it as a band, head banging, bouncing around. Was a smallish crowd, maybe 50 odd people watching but from what I could see everyone was enjoying it including myself. If you’re into your punk/rock and roll this is defiantly a band to look out for, music can be found at  www.store.bombermusic.com and also Checkout there Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/thesmokinghearts.

Next stop for me was to go a watch the awesome Heart In Hand at the Uprawr Stage. Heart In Hand are a Melodic Hardcode band from the South coast. Charlie (vocalist) sporting shorts and short sleeved shirt, with all his tattoo’s on show, the bands all round stage presents was great, all of the constantly moving around. The sound and vocals were tight and so clear. Crowd going completely mental mosh pits, odd crowd surf, everyone singing along to their songs and just all round loving the music. Between each song Charlie interacted with the crowd asking how everyone was and if they were enjoying their day so far and going to party. Through part of the set Charlie got into the crowd and got people to sing in microphone. I really enjoyed this band thought they sounded great live and had a fantastic stage presents and looked like they really enjoyed themselves as well as the crowd loving it.

After their set I managed to catch up with Charlie Holmes (Vocalist) for a chat and asked a couple of questions.

  • Biggest influences? (Charlie) “Generally it has to be life in general, also the band are big Deftone fans, even though we don’t sound like them really like their music, also liking the band Underoath even though they aren’t around anymore”.
  • Biggest achievement as a band? “Its probably playing Download Festival this year, we’re all looking forward to that”. Where do you see yourselves in say 5 years? “Who knows really, guess we’ll keep writing music till we can’t anymore, we’ve just finished recording our third album and going to working on the fourth soon, so that really”.
  • Favourite venue you guys have ever played? “We’ve played some massive venue in Europe that we can’t think the name of but they’ve been great, I really like The Joiners in Southampton, I prefer smaller venues there lot more intermit and lot more fun”.
  • Where are you guys most likely to be on a day off? “In bed normally
  • When on tour who/what do you miss the most? “Erm… it’s got to be my Girlfriend, three of us in band have girlfriends so it’s defiantly got to be them
  • I guess they don’t come on tour with you then? “No not really, two of our girlfriends are here today though, and it’s my girlfriends birthday”.
  • What are the plan’s for this year, album/shows/tours? “Well we just finished our latest album but can’t say when its out or what it’s called, we were meant to be touring but that’s been dropped sadly but hopefully come end of the year we’ll have something, atm it’s just Download Festival”.

Heart In Hand can be found at www.facebook.com/heartinhandukmh there are links to there web store, twitter and music.

Next band to watch on my list was a band called Idiom on the Uprawr Stage. Idiom are an Alternative Metal band from Exeter, they’ve shared the stage with such bands as Devildriver, 36 Crazyfists, Skindred and tons more. Crowd all cheering as they walk on stage and start there set. After their first song the crowd really get into it as do the band, they all sync head banged and bouncing around the stage, at one point the vocalist gets into the crowd and gets them to sing along in the mic. Towards the end of the set a rubber blow up shark was thrown onto the stage where the vocalist picks up and swings around before throwing back into the crowd, lot of crowd interaction between songs. Was all round a great set and everyone enjoyed themselves? Before the set I managed to catch up with the band for a small Q&A. 

  • Biggest influences? “Erm.. We don’t really have one, we should come up with one as a group really. Deftones we all really like them”.
  • How long have you all known each other? “We all grew up together in the same village and three of us went to the same high school just different years
  • So you all get along really well, don’t annoy each other or anything? “Nah we all get along pretty well” (Dan) “No one would want to annoy me, haha”.
  • Biggest challenge as a band? “Coming from Devon, as it’s so far out the way of everything, getting to places can be a pain
  • Do people back home support you guys a lot? “Yeah, back home we’ve got a pretty big following, they come to our shows so we hope they like our music”.
  • Favourite venue you’ve ever played? “HMV Forum was pretty amazing, Nottingham Rock City was awesome, Underworld London is always a fun and intense one”.
  • If you could describe your band in three words what would they be? "Fun, energetic and different”.
  • Anything big happening for you guys this year? “We’ve got our EP’s coming out this year and also we’ve got tour in May”.

Idioms music can be found threw there facebook page which is www.facebook.com/pages/IDIOM/12224761257

While walking around the venue I came across a band called Heart of a Coward. They’re a metal band from Milton Keynes, with influences such as Deftones, Pantera, The Acacia Strain, etc… While watching this band I was sat on the balcony looking down at the crowd and band, everywhere you looked people where moshing, pitting and having a good time. Lead singer Jamie Graham was wearing camo, cargo shorts and vest, with all his tattoos on show. During the song Deadweight Jamie asked the crowd to all put their arms round each other’s shoulders and the whole crowd erupted into song, singing back the lyrics. All the band got into it sync head banging and bouncing around the stage, also between songs talking to everyone in crowd. The music was tight and clear, I really enjoyed this band and would love to see them again. Music and other info on the band can be found at www.facebook.com/heartofacoward

Throughout the day I caught up with couple other bands to have a chat and Q&A. I had a chat with two of the guys from Yashin. They are a post-hardcore band from Scotland, formed in Greenock near Glasgow. I spoke with Harry (Screamer) and Kevin (Singer).

  • Biggest influences? (Harry) “It’s all really spread out to be honest, from like Limp Bizket to Deftones, so heavy side of things” (Kevin) “ I really like Panic at the Disco and Fall Out Boy”
  • Biggest challenge? (Kevin) “I lost my voice a little while back, so that was pretty hard” (Harry) “Being in a band is pretty hard, but also the best thing in the world”
  • Favourite venue you’ve ever played? “Err Rock City was good, but also ones in Europe, Hamburg”. (Harry) “I love the CoCo, cause it’s blood red theatre and really dark, so it’s really cool”.
  • Have you ever had anything embarrassing happen on stage? (Harry) “I fell off stage, I went to walk where there was nothing there and just fell off”
  • Was it a big fall did it hurt? “It was a big fall but I tried to make out that I meant to jump off, but it was quite funny” (Kevin) “You were just so confident walking into thin air”.
  • Favourite album right now? (Kevin) “Restoring Force the new Of Mice and Men Album, that’s pretty cool” (Harry) “I really like the new 1975 album. Architect’s new album that’s good, saw them the other day, it’s doing really well in charts too”.
  • Do you have any guilty pleasures? (Harry) “I like cars” (Kevin) “guilty pleasures… I like murders, hahahahaha” (Harry) “I like Candy, always eating candy
  • What have you guys got coming up this year? “We’re playing Sonisphere, recording our album, finishing that off in April. Also looking to do some support tours, headline tours and get out to other countries”.

You can find their music and other stuff at www.facebook.com/theyashin

Last band of the night to play were the massive Funeral for a Friend. The band were formed in 2001 in South Wales, they’re a post hardcore band, with influences from 90’s and 00’s hardcore, punk and metal with other bits and pieces here and there. The lead singer came on stage with the long sleeved shirt buttoned all the way to top and baseball cap, which I found very odd as it was boiling hot in the venue. Between songs there was a lot of interaction with the crowd, the room was filled to top with people watching, there was a mosh pit on front of me and people sitting on other people’s shoulders singing the lyrics to the songs being played. All the band members were moving around, jumping up and down, and enjoying the atmosphere. The more the show went on the hotter it got in the area. I thought the band performed great and the crowd really enjoyed it, so it was al all round good performance by the headline band.

By the end of the event the venues were littered with cups all over the floor but the party wasn’t close to finishing, I headed along to the after party and enjoyed some of the DJ sets and asked fellow Takedowner’s if they’d enjoys the day and it appeared everyone had a really good day and were ready to party the night away.

Photos courtesy of JPS Images @ Takedown Festival

NASS announce more acts for the 2014 lineup

With Cypress HillNetsky LiveNoisiaReel Big Fish and Mistajam just a few of those already on the menu, NASS 2014 is set up to be one insanely immense weekend.

But the line up doesn’t stop there as joining this already star-studded line up are MonkiWilkinsonFuneral For a FriendLets be FriendsBorgore and Fred V & Grafix & MC Felon to name a few. 

Celebrated underground tastemaker and Radio 1 girl of the moment Monki will hit NASS fans with a bagful of big hitters from grime and drum & bass to dubstep. At the top of her game this chief DJ will no doubt have the crowd pumped when she steps up to the decks.

Musical genius Wilkinson will also be taking to the NASS stage to whip the crowd into a drum & bass frenzy. On unstoppable form since the release of Need To Know at the beginning of 2013 Wilkinson has since smashed charts with the biggest D&B breakthrough tune of the year Afterglow cementing him as one of the hottest D&B producers and new electronic artists in the UK.

With something for everyone, rock lovers will not be disappointed with Funeral For a Friend confirmed to take to the NASS stage. Hailing from Wales and with over 12 years on the scene under their belts, this band will give the NASS crowd a mix of hardcore and energetic punk songs to be remembered. 

The line up doesn’t stop there… in just 12 months, Lets Be Friends have managed to capture the imaginations of fans and influencers worldwide and have gone from unknowns to playing the main stage midnight set for Global Gathering NYE and this year NASS! 
Set to unleash a slew of new music and crazy remixes that’ll reinforce their position as heavyweight producers of their own brand ‘full flavor dance music’.

Hailed for thinking outside the box, Borgore continues to push the boundaries of dubstep, electronic music, metal and everything in between. A worldwide headliner, Borgore's bass-in-your-face frenzy performance complete with crowd surfing, mosh pits and crazy stage presence ticks all the boxes for NASS. 

Fledgling stars Fred Vahrman and Josh Jackson a.k.a Fred V & Grafix will also be returning to NASS 2014 for one hell of an energetic set. Signed to Hospital at the end of 2011 the two have been making huge waves ever since producing an abundance of epic musical drum & bass gems and this March 17th sees the release of their debut album Recognise giving NASS fans a glimpse of what’s in-store for their massive July set.

Also joining these epic acts for NASS 2014 are Friction & Friends ft P Money & LingusticsRoskaRockwellDismantleRandom Hand and Decade

With such a phenomenal music feast on offer there wont be a dull moment at the Bath & West Showground this July.

Music aside, NASS will once again present the cream of action sports competitions with international skate and BMX athletes going head to head on the industry’s biggest and best course.  

BMXers confirmed so far include Logan Martin (NASS '13 BMX champ), Greg IllingworthMatt PriestTom JusticeLuke Padgett and Todd Meyn to mention just a few of the biggest names on the International BMX circuit that have signed up to take on the UKs biggest comp – the NASS Pro.

Battling it out for the £12.5K prize purse for skate are Danny Leon (NASS '13 skate champ), Dannie CarlsenBen GroveDenis LynnJosh Young and Kelvin Hoefler. After the supreme tricks and runs witnessed at the 2013 event, the bar is set high for those thrashing it out for the 2014 win and money.